Let's Make

A guide for promoting making in libraries

Find out how libraries that have implemented maker activities support individuals and whole communities by developing and supporting community partnerships:

encouraging and boosting cooperation of local institutions, non-profits and businesses,

providing space for meeting, or facillitating meetings.

Examples, stories:

Allen County Public Library’s partnership with with a non-profit the TekVenture Incorporated resulted in regular community events (Chain Reaction Challenge events) as well as workshops and demonstrations for the general public on topics, such as from Designing for CNC Machining, and Scanning for 3D Printing to Welding for Women.

Jefferson County: The partnership formed between the library and an electronics firm expanded to the technical high school and then to a local hacker startup. The electronics firm donated hardware and provided training to library employees and the high school students, increasing technical competencies and forming new relationships between the technical community and the library. The partnership with the startup provided them a venue to showcase their hackerspace concepts and provided the library with outside expertise to support fledgling makers.

One of the Library’s most dedicated volunteers has initiated partnerships with the Society for the Blind and Crocker Art Museum so that those with vision impairments can interact with art in a tactile way by handling 3D printed facsimiles of works in the Crocker collection